New Chiefs Marks

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Talk to your local Gold Badges.....the word on the street is that the new Enlisted Performance Evaluations for Chief and above will contain a mark for participation in the Mess. They will solicit input from the Silver Badges and people will be marked for fulfilling their obligations to the Mess. The big question now is will they actually hold people accountable or will it become like the rest of the marks ?

[BMCS Bill Gheen]

I have to wonder, if this would be a good thing. While I believe every Chief should participate in the mess, some messes are located farther away than others, which create logistical issues.

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Bill...they would have to take that into consideration. People can still participate (or contribute) in some way, even if remote.

Stu...Not knowing anything about it, it sounds like a good idea. Afterall, that is part of what we are supposed to be doing.

[BMCS Jim Madsen]

Deane,
You know how far I am from "anything Coast Guard". I am part of your mess, but this forum is really where I get to participate. Sure I e-vote on a few awards, but that is about it. I pay my dues though. Does that count?

[BMCS Dennis Endicott ret]

"...but this forum is really where I get to participate."

And, that is why we are here.

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Jim...believe it or not, you participate more than some that are here.

[AETC Joseph (Bill) Adams]

This could be a very good thing. I've been active in the mess since I pinned on my anchor in 2003 and active in the CPOA. Now that I've transfered to a unit that isn't a CPOA chapter, it's a bit weird to me :confused: . Especially since they used to be and ended up dropping the chapter due to lack of participation :( . That is still a problem here so perhaps it will ge a few more Chiefs out of the office and participating. Besides I still see it as "every point counts" when it comes to the servicewide. :D

My 2 Yen

[BMCS Burt Ford]

Shouldn't this forum count as participation too?

[BMCM Deane Smith]

Burt...I think it should. Participation comes in all different forms of communication.

[SKC Ronald Brumble]

I can't help but wonder how this is going to affect those that don’t participate in a CCTI. It seams to me that those that elect to not go through CCTI don't participate in their local mess as much as others. We know the reasons that have been brought up in many other threads but still, seams a little harsh.

As for participating via this forum, that is all fine and dandy but how many silver badges visit these pages?

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

The people that submit bullets for their marks could put it down. It's also another way to get the word out about this forum.
As for people who wouldn't go through a CCTI being marked lower...Oh Well.
Maybe this will inspire some to go through it. Who knows, one may even be able to prove Dennis wrong, and find no merit in the process. Doubtful, but worth a shot. I think trying to prove Dennis wrong would have been incentive enough, but I'm easy.

[OSC Thomas Jackson]

One of the categories is "Professional Development". On my last set of marks I entered that I attended the Chiefs Calls at my last unit. What better way to help educate yourself than to participate in the "Chiefs Mess". Being part of and participating in the Chiefs Mess can also be used in "Integrity", "Working with Others", "Responsibility", "Setting an Example", "Loyalty", I could go on, but I think you get the point.

[BMC Chris Gempp]

Tom,
Those are some good points

[BMCS Burt Ford]

I know you could participate in a mess from miles away, but what happens when those miles are Hours? There are several OINC/XPO billets that are 2-3 hours from the nearest mess. LORSTAs are even farther and some only have the ETC as a Chief. So this forum would become your biggest, if not only, outlet to participation.

[SKCM Linda Reid]

How would it work at large units? Would our gold badge have to keep sign-in sheets at chiefs call? How else could he track "participation" by 80 or so chiefs?

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

There will always be exceptions to marks. Some people are marked for evaluations and have no one under them to evaluate. Others do but aren't in the marking chain.Some are marked in all fields that talk about subordinates, and have no one to supervise. Some people are out of rate but still being marked for rating knowledge.
Even at a large Mess, it's easy to find out who doesn't particate. They'll be the ones whose names you don't know, whose faces you don't recognize. I don't think that this new mark is aimed a the people in remote locations. I think that it is aimed at those people at large units, where some people won't walk the ten feet from their cubicle to attend the Mess.

[OSC Thomas Jackson]

Stuart, you brought up a good point. I'm in the boat this marking period where I do not have any subordinates directly under me (first time in 8 years). But even though I do not have any subordinates under me, I am always willing to assist any subordinate who needs my help no matter what command he/she is in. Does it really matter that the subordinates are not in your command?

[PACS Steve Carleton]

I'm all for implementing something that will stimulate participation in the Mess and the Chief Petty Officer's Association, but a Mark on the Evals?

I don't see this as a positive way to stimulate participation.

I just came from an area that had a Consolidated Mess that only held Chief's Call for CCTI twice per year. No other correspondence from the COTM.

My individual unit had 6 CPOs, 5 E5s and Below with the rest being Civilian or Officer. As a group, we frequently did a Chief's Lunch to discuss various items. Does that mean that the members of that Mess are to be penalized on their Marks because they are in a smaller unit?

[BMCM Stuart S. Slesh]

Tom, I would say that if you imparted your wisdom and knowledge on anyone, it wouldn't matter where they were in your chain, or someone else's.
Steve, I'll wait to see how it's worded, but I would thing that whether there are 3 Chiefs or 30, someone knows who's participating.

[ETC Beavers]

I agree that something needs to be done to stimulate participation in the Mess and the Chief Petty Officer's Association. I travel 100 miles to all the Chief's calls and it's hard for me to understand why some won't drive 15 minutes across town to attend. I think that a mark on your evals would bring the crowds in, but will the participation exist?

[YNCS Claude Taylor]

Good afternoon,

I see the new mark for participation in the mess as a step in the right direction. I would also like to remind everyone that a mess is in session anytime 2 or more chiefs get together to discuss a topic.

One other thing I would like to point out is the fact that there is a definite difference between the unit/area chiefs mess and the local CPOA chapter.

I am a member of and support the Kodiak Chapter of the CPOA and I encourage all chiefs to do the same. That being said, the CPOA is a social/service organization and should not be confused with the Chiefs Mess! The CPOA is where the "once a chief, always a chief" comes into play.

The Chiefs Mess (current active/reserve chiefs only) is where unit issues should be addressed and this is also where the difference between the wardroom and the CPOA should be evident.

I know that I'm touching on several topics with this post, but they all seem to have a common thread. We should be held accountable for what we do and don't do. I can't wait to actually review the new evals to see the actual changes.

Have a great day!

[MSTCM C Stevenson]

I can't wait to actually review the new evals to see the actual changes.

Fresh from the oven (http://www.uscg.mil/hq/psc/forms/).

[MKC John Shearouse]

Good Day all. Well I just got done reading all the post on this subject. I will alsao be glad to see the new marks. Since I became a chief I have been active in all the chief mess's I have been at. I have only been in one area that had a CPOA and all they worried about was the CCTI. Nothing else just that. So it was easy for me to stay with my mess and be very active. At my current unit the mess is only active by a few and they are always the same few that show up. But hope fully it will get better now with the new marks to make us go. I just think it is a shame that an Officer came up with the idea of a mark to force Chiefs to become active in a Chief's mess.

[BMCS Burt Ford]

John the new marks were done be an SR enlisted Work group. Not officers.

[PAC Darrell Wilson (Ret)]

Well, I dont like it and here's why. When I sit in the mess and look around the room, I know those other Chiefs are there cause they want to be there and they want to be a part of something. Now, you might have a full room, but how many of them are there only cause it affects their marks. I'd rather have a mess with 5 chiefs that want to be there then a room full that are only there cause they have to be there. I am open to change though, I guess time will tell if this will fix anything. Thats another topic unto itself, are we trying to fix something that wasnt broke?

[MKC John Shearouse]

Darrell I aggree with you. In the messes I have been in they were small and everyone always showed up. But only a couple did anything. Now at this unit it is a large mess and only a couple show up. Those couple are hard chargers and we always get what we need to do done. Now once the rest satart to show up how much dead wood will we all have to go threw to get things done. But like you I am open for change if the change is fore the better.

[DCCS Todd Holcomb]

So my question is, does a Chief who attends Chief's calls but that's as far as their involvement is, attending, is that considered "partnering with the CPO mess"? If so, who makes that decision? There are those who always show up, get involved and make things better, then there are those who just showup, is just being there enough? I don't think so, but it looks like a step in the right direction, it is certainly one way to get the non attendees to at least attend, who knows maybe one of them will come out of their shell and get involved. What we as Chief's choose to do with it, that will be the deciding factor. Is this something where the local COTM is going to have to give input to each Chief's supervisor on this issue come mark time?


Just wondering.............
Todd

[SKC Ronald Brumble]

It also will be more important for those Mess's to have meetings more than 3 times a year.

[ETC Beavers]

Looks like there have actually been two changes to the Chief, Senior Chief and Master Chief EER.

WORKING WITH OTHERS

"The degree to which this member promotes a team effort and used partnering with the "CPO MESS" and other internal and external organization in accomplishing goals."

Supervisors will need to collaborate with Goal and Silver Badges and the Chief of the Mess to mark their Chief, Senior and Master Chiefs appropriately.


DEVELOPING SUBORDINATES

"The extent this member used mentoring, counseling, training and education, and recognition to increase the knowledge and performance of subordinates or others. The degree of this member's sensitivity and responsiveness to the goals and achievements of others.

To achieve at least a 4 you must " Took active role in the development of subordinates and others, including the use of Individual Development Plans (IDPs)".....